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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. wax — in the ear
  3. current — happening now
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. vault — a safe
  7. wax — to grow
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. vault — an arched ceiling
  10. chip — to eat
  11. mine — belonging to me
  12. current — of water
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. bulb — for light
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. mine — for digging
  22. chip — for betting
  23. bulb — for light
  24. current — electric

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com